Xanadu (Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra song)

"Xanadu" is the title song from the soundtrack to the 1980 film Xanadu. The song is performed by English-born Australian singer Olivia Newton-John and English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). Newton-John sings the primary vocals, with ELO lead singer and the song's writer Jeff Lynne adding parenthetic vocals in the style of their other songs on the Xanadu soundtrack, along with ELO providing the instrumentation. It is Lynne's favourite song of all that he has written.[2]

"Xanadu"
One of UK releases with pink vinyl (Jet Records)
Single by Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra
from the album Xanadu
B-side
  • "Whenever You're Away from Me" (with Gene Kelly) (MCA)
  • "Fool Country" (Jet)
Released6 June 1980
Recorded1979
StudioMusicland Studios
(Munich, Germany)
Genre
Length3:28
Label
Songwriter(s)Jeff Lynne
Producer(s)Jeff Lynne
Electric Light Orchestra singles chronology
"I'm Alive"
(1980)		 "Xanadu"
(1980)		 "All Over the World"
(1980)
Olivia Newton-John singles chronology
"Magic"
(1980)		 "Xanadu"
(1980)		 "Suddenly"
(1980)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Billboard(favourable)[1]

"Xanadu" reached number one in several countries and was the band's only UK number-one single,[3] when it peaked there for two weeks in July 1980. It was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry.[4] It also peaked at number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100.[5]

The music video also appears in the Friends episode "The One With Rachel's Date".

Personnel

Charts

Olivia featuring Paula version
"Xanadu"
Single by Olivia featuring Paula
Released4 December 1995
Recorded1995
GenreDance
LabelMDS
Songwriter(s)Jeff Lynne

In late 1995, two Australian dance performers released versions of the song. Sydney singer Olivia Featuring Paula (on the MDS label) released a dance version first, followed by Kirsty K. (on Central Station Records). Both versions charted on the ARIA Singles and Dance Charts in the first half of 1996.[30]

Chart performance (Olivia featuring Paula version)
Chart (1996) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[31] 55

Kirsty K. version
"Xanadu"
Single by Kirsty K.
ReleasedDecember 1995
Recorded1995
GenreDance
Length3:30
LabelCentral Station
Songwriter(s)Jeff Lynne

Chart performance (Kirsty K. version)
Chart (1996) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[32] 71

New Electric Light Orchestra version

In 2000, ELO's Jeff Lynne re-recorded the song, with his own vocals, for the box set Flashback and the All Over the World compilation. Though it was billed as an ELO selection, the song was recorded by Lynne with Marc Mann on keyboards, but with no input from his former bandmates.

Sharleen Spiteri version
"Xanadu"
Single by Sharleen Spiteri
from the album The Movie Songbook
ReleasedFebruary 2010 (2010-02)
Recorded2009
GenrePop
Length3:34
LabelMercury, Universal
Songwriter(s)Jeff Lynne
Producer(s)Sharleen Spiteri
Sharleen Spiteri singles chronology
"It Was You"
(2008)		 "Xanadu"
(2010)

In 2009, Scottish singer-songwriter Sharleen Spiteri recorded the song for a second studio album titled The Movie Songbook which was released on 1 March 2010 worldwide. Xanadu was released as the lead single from the album in February 2010 and has so far made the BBC Radio 2 C-List.[33]

Chart performance
Chart (2010) Peak
position
UK (Official Charts Company)[34] 71

Other cover versions

Karin Glenmark recorded the song in Swedish with lyrics by Ingela "Pling" Forsman, and released it as a single in 1980.[35] Her version chartered at Svensktoppen for 10 weeks between 26 October – 21 December 1980.[36] 1980 also saw the release of Swedish language-recordings by Ingmar Nordströms,[37] Flamingokvintetten[38] and Wizex.[39]

Dannii Minogue included a version on her 2007 album Club Disco.

Sarah Blasko covered the track on the bonus disc to her 2009 album As Day Follows Night.

British indie artist Dev Hynes, under his alias Lightspeed Champion, did his own rendition of "Xanadu" as a B-side to his single "Tell Me What It's Worth".

Juliana Hatfield covered the song on her album Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John.[40]

Menudo also covered the song in Spanish; sung by Miguel Cancel, it became a major hit across Latin America.[41]

In 2018, Delta Goodrem performed the song in the mini-series Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted to You and the accompanying soundtrack album, I Honestly Love You.

References
  1. "Review: Xanadu – Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra" (PDF). Billboard. 85 (32). 9 August 1980. p. 70. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 24 May 2020 – via American Radio History.
  2. "Jeff Lynne interviewed by Simon Mayo in November 2017". YouTube. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  3. "1980 Top 40 Official UK Singles Archive – 12th July 1980". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  4. "British single certifications – Xanadu". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Type Xanadu in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  5. "Electric Light Orchestra – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. "Austriancharts.at – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  8. "Ultratop.be – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  9. "Xanadu in Canadian Top Singles Chart". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 July 2013.
  10. "Xanadu in Canadian Adult Contemporary Chart". Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 July 2013.
  11. Hawtin, Steve. "Song artist 171 – Electric Light Orchestra". Tsort.info. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  12. "Xanadu in Irish Chart". IRMA. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2013. 1st result when searching "Xanadu"
  13. Lee Zhito, ed. (1980). "xanadu"+"israel"+"billboard" Billboard, September 6, 1980. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  14. Lee Zhito, ed. (1980). "xanadu"+"japan"+"billboard" Billboard, November 15, 1980. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
  15. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  16. "Dutchcharts.nl – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  17. "Charts.nz – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu". Top 40 Singles.
  18. "Norwegiancharts.com – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu". VG-lista.
  19. John Samson. "South African Rock Lists Website – SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (E)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  20. "Swedishcharts.com – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu". Singles Top 100.
  21. "Swisscharts.com – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu". Swiss Singles Chart.
  22. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles". cashboxmagazine.com. 11 October 1980. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  23. "ELO". Wweb.uta.edu. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  24. "Charts". Wweb.uta.edu. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  25. "Offiziellecharts.de – Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra – Xanadu". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  26. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  27. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  28. "UK Singles of the Year" (PDF). Record Mirror. London: Spotlight Publications. 27 December 1980. p. 30. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  29. "100 Top Hits of 1980" (PDF). Charismusicgroup.com. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  30. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  31. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 03 Mar 1996". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved 31 July 2017. N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.
  32. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 25 Feb 1996". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved 21 July 2017. N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.
  33. – 17:05. "Radio 2 – Playlist". BBC. Retrieved 19 March 2010.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  34. "Sharleen Spiteri". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 July 2013.
  35. "Svensk mediedatabas". Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  36. "Svensktoppen". 1980. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  37. "Svensk mediedatabas". Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  38. "Svensk mediedatabas". Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  39. "Svensk mediedatabas". Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  40. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  41. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TBkbK7edHk
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